Gateway and railings to Clytha Park

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at main entry to Clytha Park on old A40 opposite junction with road to Bettws Newydd.

History

Decorative Gothic entrance gate screen with gates, to Clytha Park. Built 1790 for William Jones of Clytha House to designs by John Nash. The outer walls and railings are probably C19, not shown in the 1801 engraving of the screen. The folly at Clytha Castle long thought to be also by Nash is now known to be by John Davenport.

Exterior

Entrance screen and gates, with later railings each side. Bath stone ashlar Gothic style tripartite gateway, carriage arch flanked by pedestrian arches. Double iron gates to centre, single each side, all with ramped top rails, mid-rail with spearheads and dog-bars below.
Four ashlar piers with plain angle shafts and splayed plinths, cornice, carried over pedestrian gateway each side, and large crocketted finials with small square finials at angles. Over gateways is a running cresting of trefoils. Gateways have Tudor-arched heads with panelled spandrels. Over centre is tall moulded pointed arch with crocketting on outside carried up in ogee curve to top finial, the panel above the pointed arch cusped with 3-leaf ornament in relief.
Later wall and railing each side, ashlar low wall with iron rails and urn tops to stanchions. Serpentine curve, cross-gabled cap to ashlar pier each end with traceried panels to sides.

Reason for designation

Grade II* as a fine example of the late C18 picturesque Gothic style, part of the romantic setting created by William Jones which included the Clytha Castle folly.